I stirred in my sleep as something warm and wet touched my forehead. "If he has a fever and is sweating, shouldn't you use cold water??" a male voice floated through my ears with a high pitch scream following it. "JUST LET ME DO MY FREAKING JOB OK!" Ashley's voice screeched. I weakly tried to cover my ears which just resulted into my arms falling flat on my face. Groaning, I gave a yelp when my eyes opened to the blinding light. "Guys! Nich's awake!" Damon cheered, stopping the bickering between Jeremiah and Ashley.

"So Nicholas, did the hot water help or do you prefer cold water?" Jeremiah asked me sassily. Ashley slapped him across the arm "I've had 5 years of bloody medical training don't you think I would know how to help him." Ashley bit back. "Love birdssssssss" I cooed and Damon snickered with me. This was a natural recurrence, Jer and Ash always sound like an old married couple. Ashley and Jeremiah blushed as they turned and got themselves busy again.

After they had finished up and left Jeremiah sat down next to me and took my hand. Looking me in the eye he said "I saw you crying in your sleep, tell me what happened". I looked down, God that must have been embarrassing to have people see me cry in my sleep. Oh Satan, when did I start believing in God? "Well, umm..." I dragged off. I took a deep breath and continued, "I was dreaming about the start". We all refer to the start of our lives once we are thrown in here. Not because it's the most exciting part but we've learnt it's the only part that matters. Once we enter these walls we are no longer Nicholas Alexander Madden or Jeremiah Sandson, we are CS608 and CS323.

"Hmmmm, ok. I know what happened to you was really traumatic as I found you as a sobbing mess, so if you need to talk I'm here for you bud, never forget that" Jeremiah sighed as he pulled me into a hug just like he did when we first met. A tear slivered down my face, I hugged him back tightly, "Thanks Jer, you're the big brother I never wanted". "Never wanted huh?" Jeremiah growled playfully as he started attacking me with tickles. I laughed and writhed in the sheets. "I'm seventeen Jer, s-sto-st-stop" I giggled. Jeremiah leaned back as his brown hair was messed up everywhere. I stood up gently, Jeremiah freaking out as soon as I turned and I carefully fixed his hair back up. "There" I smiled. Smiling in return Jeremiah took my arm and led me out of the room.

Something pounced on me and I fell back into Jeremiah. "Lilliana" Jeremiah scolded the bundle of joy in my arms, one that seemed not to hear him. "RYAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!" she squealed as she basically licked my whole face. "Ewww what was that for Lil?" I said, shivering as I wiped her saliva off my face. Sticking her tongue out she ran off only to come back with a disgruntled Malia attached by the hand with Julia in tow. "What is it you little..." Malia cut off when she saw me. "Nicholas!" her and Julia squealed as they hugged me.

"Hi" I awkwardly waved. "Let's go already Jer, Damon hasn't slept in days!" Julia said professionally. I gasped. Damon hasn't slept in days? Is it because I wasn't with him? My body couldn't pick a dominant feeling, was I guilty for him not sleeping or was I happy that I was his comfort? Oh well. "Yes let's go so I can put that baby to sleep" I replied as I headed towards the bedroom. "Hold up skipper, it's lunch time. The rest are in the dining room" Jer vocalised. Right, I had been out of it for a few days. "How long have I been out, Jer?" I asked quietly. Even lower he replied "All together, just over a week I think". I gasped as we entered the dining room.

The first thing I noticed was the major bags under Damon's eyes. As I plopped down next to him I said "You look like you just crawled out of hell man". Laughing weakly he nodded "I know, even the guards do second takes at me.". Laughing, we feasted on shepards pie. "It's been, what?, 1-2 months since we had this right?" I asked. "Yeah about so" Nathan replied across from the table. "Wait, wasn't it for some special reason though?" Malia asked with her mouth full. Ashley glared at her "Table manners Malia". Malia made a small whining noise as Julia continued, "Yeah, but then again, we are in camp because we are 'highly dangerous' and 'crazy', so why do we have to be civilised?" she quoted. Ashley sighed.

Jeremiah took control of the situation "Guys, just because that's what they have labelled us doesn't mean that is who we are, just because they say something doesn't mean we are that. And we know the only crazy one here at this table is Cameron". Everyone turned to look at poor Cameron as the poor child licked his cup and chewed on his cutlery. Nodding, we finished our meal quietly as Mr Booshwater made his way on stage.

"Ok guys, we are going to do showers then lights out at 9 instead of 10 since I want you guys to come down for a meeting tomorrow morning. We are going to introduce the new person. If you're late: punished. If you use too much shower water: punished. If you are heard after lights out: punished. If you don't come to the meeting: punished. If you sleep in: punished. Understand?" He yelled out. We all nodded as he strided off stage. Once he left all hell broke loose.

"New person!?"

"They found Cecil's replacement already? Weren't they only shot last week?!"

"I wonder if it's another boy or girl?"

"Enough!" Ashley said as she stood up, the wooden chair scraping harshly against the grey concrete walls. "When the time comes, we will deal with the situation, for now, showers and bed.". Nodding, we all stood up and headed for our room. As Damon and I walked through the hallway behind everyone else we talked about the new mystery person. "Do you think it's someone our age?" Damon asked lowly. Ashley had told us not to talk and Ashley's word is like law to us. "I don't know... I just wonder how they managed to find a replacement for Cecil already." I replied. Damon nodded understandingly, "Though do you think that maybe they have a cell full of Colours Seers just waiting for room in the camps?". I just shrugged. I hadn't been out of these walls for 12 years, Damon only came last year or two.

"I haven't been outside in 12 years A, I don't know much, normally I'd ask you about this stuff..." I said gently. Damon never liked to talk about his time outside, but from what he told me he was a jock and extremely rude and selfish and when he got another girl pregnant he left. Though I could never imagine my sweet, kind, scared Damon like that, we were all different to what we are now. As we filed into the room we got our pyjamas and headed off into the adjoining bathrooms.

Damon had decided to go first so I was left with Nathan, Julia and Cameron. Ashley always got to go first since Cecil was her bunkmate and now she doesn't have one, Nathan shared a bunk with Jeremiah, Julia and Malia, and Cameron and Lilliana. But Malia and Lilliana showered first so Malia could help her little sister. I gently brushed my teeth with the toothbrush I was given when I got here. I know according to Damon that it is really disgusting that I haven't changed my toothbrush in 12 years but we need to take care of everything we have cause we only get one.

After getting out, Damon went to brush his teeth and I jumped into the shower. Cold water cascaded down my back and soothed my back pain from the whipping and stitches. Slowly washing the area I used the putrid green soap to clean my pale skinny legs. I swear I could reach my toes last month easily! I must have grown while in my sleep. Damon said that when he measured himself last year he was 5'11 and said he has grown since then to at least 6 ft so I had to be at least 6'2. I don't understand why people measure themselves with feet, nor do I understand why you would let someone walk on you but I guess that's what humans are like.

I heard someone knock quietly on the shower door then Ashley's voice "Just remember Nicholas you only have 2 minutes left". Slowly turning the water off I shaked my head, my brown locks plastering all over my face. I only cut it last week but I didn't take as long as I usually did so I must have rushed a bit. I heard a banging on my door "Nicholas get out times up we don't want a repeat of last week". I called out "It's fine, waters been off for a minute or two now anyway. Just changing". He laughed outside the stall, "Well hurry up you snail". Confused, I asked back "What's a snail?". Laughing again Jer replied "Those icky slimy things with the round shell on its back?". I shivered, snots? Mails? Smails? No, snails, they were revolting little creatures and tried to eat the plants I tried to grow a few years ago.

After lugging on my pyjama pants and drying my hair with the stained bamboo towel (I ALSO received on the first day) I trudged into my room and chucked my towel on the top bunk where I kept my stuff. Face planting into Damon's bed I heard him laugh then say dogpile. Letting out a small scream I felt Damon jump onto me. Damon wasn't a bigger person but his muscles did seem to add a lot of unnecessary extra weight. "Gerroff mii" my voice muffled into the pillow. When he didn't seem like he wasn't getting off anytime soon I started wacking behind my back and I heard and ouch. Feeling victorious I felt the boulder on top of me slowly roll off.

"You didn't have to wack me, '' my best friend whined as fluffed his own pillow. "Yeah, but you didn't get off when I asked," I replied. With a sneaky smile he muffled something under his breath like sorry datty just as Jeremiah walked past. Upon hearing Damon he started laughing until his face was red. "What'd you say?" I asked the two laughing boys, laughing, Jeremiah looked at Damon and said "See ya later daddy" while walking off. Damon's cheeks then turned a concentrated red. "What does that mean?" I asked curiously. Shaking his head, smiling he got under the sheets and uncovered my side.

"Just get in bed already, lights will turn off any minute anyway." he said casually as if nothing just happened. Glaring at him, I got in and let him snuggle up to me. "Night Nick" Damon drowsily whispered. Kissing him on the forehead I repeated his words and let my dreams take over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Just asking, is there anything you guys want to see in this book?

6/08/22